The Planet of Impossible Possibility
by sonicscrewed
Summary: On a planet where the faces you see aren't necessarily the people you know, how do you know who is real?
1. PrologueTeaser Trailer

This was impossible.

Well, of course it was. When was the last time something even _remotely_ feasible happened to him?

Not very recently, in any case.

And of course, there was no one around to complain to this time. No one to rant to, to hash out an overly complex diatribe of how _not bloody possible_ this all was.

Because it wasn't possible. If it _was_ possible then surely he would have known about it centuries ago. Something like this would never have flown under his radar, would not have escaped his notice, would have been a great, mauve, exclamation point of THIS IS NOT RIGHT!

THIS IS NOT _POSSIBLE! _

Three Time Lords, not a meter away! Three! And oh, that was just the start. That was just the start.

Because if what the TARDIS was telling him was true. . .

Well, that was probably what all that incessant rapping on his TARDIS' door was all about.

"Well then," a voice rang out - male, loud, and familiar. "Are you going to come out, or are you just going to run scans all day?" There was a pause, then a slightly softer murmur, "Ten credits says it's another you. All doom and gloom, going all nutters about a big 'ol potential paradox."

A grunt. Another familiar voice, "No. If you'd shut your gob long enough, maybe you'd have noticed there's no telepathic link with whoever's in there. Not even a trace," he grumbled. "I can't do that, and neither can you. If he's one of us, he's shutting us out."

"Huh. Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever heard of a Time Lord younger than a millenia who could pull that off," the first voice laughed, and the Doctor in the TARDIS bristled. "So he's either very old, or he's just some bloke who nicked a TARDIS and went and crashed it into Laperlla of all places. Oh, I'd love to see that. Think he's human?"

"Hope not. Only ape I can almost stand is that blonde you're always hanging around with. Any more of that lot and I'll be taking the next trip out."

"Miserable old bastard, you are," the first voice chuckled and the second voice scoffed. "When you regenerate into some ginger, pock marked, crotchety hobbit, I'm going to find you and laugh. 'Coulda been me,' I'll say! 'And all because you never had a Rose Tyler. You poor bastard.'"

"The Rose Tyler in my universe is a _monkey!_ You should see that daft old Tyler woman, walking the thing along on a leash, dropping banana peels everywhere. It's disgusting!"

With a sudden bang, the TARDIS doors slammed open and the two stepped back in surprise.

The Doctor stepped out, looking down, adjusting his bow tie. Lifting his head and swallowing hard, he stared in disbelief as his suspicions were confirmed.

The two men in front of him were impossibly who he had thought they were:

His ninth incarnation glared back at him, arms crossed. The tenth just smiled, waved cheekily, and mouthed a 'hello.'

"Alright," the Doctor said, fixing a hard look on the pair. "Explain."

* * *

**END PROLOGUE**

**A.N. Confused? Excited? Review! (Seriously, it's super encouraging!)**

**Hint: The name of the planet is an anagram for what we're working with here. **


	2. Rose

**Title:** The Planet of Impossible Possibility  
**Author:** sonic_screwed  
**Character/Pairing:** Eleven/Rose eventually. Rose/TenTwo this chapter.

**Rating:** T (to be safe)  
**Summary:** On a planet where the faces you see aren't necessarily the people you know, how do you know who is real?  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, BBC's. Oh well.  
**Author's Notes:** So, this occurs before the prologue. Think of the prologue as a teaser trailer. Most, if not all of this fic will be in Rose's POV. We'll get to Eleven soon enough. Have some Rose/Tentwo (John) for now.

~~ ~~CHAPTER 1: "Rose" ~~~~

_Torchwood / "Pete's World" / 3 years post Davros_

Rose was on the roof, waiting.

John had given her that frighteningly serious look when he'd burst into her office that afternoon. The door had slammed open and a very frazzled metacrisis had barked out, "Roof, quitting time, be there."

She'd half choked on the chip she'd just popped in her mouth.

He'd nearly dropped the armful of scrolls he'd run in with as he shut the door. Rose's eyes narrowed, about to tell him off, when the door opened again, slowly.

John peeked back in, slightly shamefaced, and whispered "Please."

So she'd nodded, and he'd closed the door.

It was hardly fair. He couldn't just _do_ things like that! One minute she'd been sitting at her desk, lounging about, ignoring the paperwork she'd been supposed to be doing. . . bored.

Capital Bored.

And then he storms on in like there's something big happening, like there's something important going on, and then tells her to _wait?_ It just wasn't right, and if she was honest with herself, it hurt.

She really hated it when John went all 'Doctor' on her. It really, truly messed with her head.

They'd tried the whole relationship thing, they really did – but in the end, it felt to Rose like she was dating and kissing the Doctor's _brother._ Which really was very close to what John was. A clone. A twin.

And you don't date a bloke's brother on the side. You just don't. It just wasn't right. Even though her Doctor didn't, wouldn't, or couldn't see it. . .

It was just another one of those human rules and morals he'd never learned and didn't understand.

She shook her head, smiling fondly. "Aliens."

"Where?" John's voice rang out cheekily, and Rose spun on her heel.

He was smirking, and Rose lifted an eyebrow. "You're late," she said, index finger pointed to his chest.

John shrugged, "Yep. New secretary batting her eyelashes. Have to beat them off with a stick, you know."

"Shut up," Rose said with a laugh, ignoring the slight twinge of jealousy bubbling up. One of these days she'd get used to this. Someday. "So, get on with it. Why the roof?" she smiled "What are you up to this time?"

John smirked, wiggled his eyebrows. "Early birthday present," he said, reaching into his pocket, "Catch."

Rose startled, hands going out in front of her. John tossed the thing, metal and buttons and curiously familiar, "A vortex manipulator?" she asked, incredulous. "I thought you hated these things!"

"Heavily modified vortex manipulator," he corrected. "And the Doctor hated them, _I_ have no problem with them so long as we're not tearing holes everywhere. Not like we have a TARDIS, and there's somewhere you _really_ should go."

"Getting rid of me so you don't feel guilty about snogging the secretary, are you?"

John chuckled. "Maybe," he paused. "No, not really. Look, Rose, there's a reason I asked you to meet me on the roof. It's these scrolls I found, just finished working out the details this afternoon, and there's this place, it's. . ." he smirked, "You know what, let me just show you."

"Show me?" Rose asked, amusement and curiosity lining her voice.

John rolled his eyes. "Well not literally _show_ you, just, point where you're going, really," he winked. "If you want."

She nodded, and John took hold of her wrist, put his head on her shoulder, and pointed at the sky with joined hands.

Rose blushed. She couldn't help it – the gesture was so familiar, so similar to when her Doctor had first regenerated and they were pointing out stars.

She cleared her throat and steeled herself. No good to let on. "So where. . ."

John smiled, turned to look at her. "There. . ." his words choked off a bit, and Rose tried not to react.

He'd noticed. 'Course he had.

She shook her head slightly and looked to where he had pointed her hand, swallowing down her nerves. She wasn't going to let this continue, she felt bad enough that he loved her, that she couldn't return the feeling.

Breaking the moment, she laughed, "Oh!" she said, looking at the constellation in which her arm was directed. "Fat Orion!"

John startled, looked at her incredulously, "_Fat Orion?_" he asked, breathing out a laugh. "What?"

"He's got two belts," Rose smiled, "Fat Orion. I named him when I first got here."

John just stood there, staring at her for a moment, goofily smiling – until Rose playfully nudged him in the side. He ran his hands through his hair and looked back to the sky. "So, um, second star, second belt," he said. "Not a star at all. It's a planet. Laperlla." John paused, looking to Rose meaningfully. "It's a pleasure planet, a convergence point for all parallel universes – shows up in different places in every universe. Apparently there's one in our original universe too, though I honestly haven't a clue as to where it is."

Rose went stock still. "John," she swallowed a gulp. "John, what are you saying?"

"Probably what you think I'm saying," his smile had gone sad, tortured. Rose bit her lip, and John continued quietly, "The reason why it's considered a pleasure planet is mostly because of all the resorts they've thrown in there. The twist, what makes it unique, what draws in the crowd, is the chance that you might meet a version of yourself that's made different choices, and is living a different life. It lets a person see what could have been, if only they did something differently." John paused, gulped. "In your case, though. . . Rose, there's potential for you to see your Doctor again. And alternate Doctors, so you'd have to be careful with whom you run off with, but. . ."

"You're saying. . ." Rose breathed. "You're saying I could possibly see him again? Really really, flesh and blood, see him? But," she frowned. "How will he know where to find me? How long would that take? What if. . .what if he doesn't make his way there in my lifetime, what if. . ."

"You won't age," John interrupted, and Rose froze. "Well, you do, but it's an amazingly slow rate. You'll live over 3000 years, and only physically age one. That's the other appeal. You _can_ die, so you'll need to be careful. There was something about a bit of a screening process when you get there; they try to keep as much of the violent type out as possible. You never know, though, and you really do need to be careful."

"Jeopardy friendly." Rose whispered, still in quite a bit of shock, "John, what about getting back here? I'm not. . ." she sighed. "I can't just abandon you."

"Oh!" he said, plastering on a smile, "I'll be fine! Gorgeous secretary, and then there's this girl at the pub that keeps on putting extra cherries in my daiquiris. . ."

"Stop it," she interrupted, "I know you, remember? This is just you, you pulling a 'Doctor' and being," Rose sniffed, choking back tears. "you're being all noble and, and self-sacrificing again, and you don't have to. . ."

"Now that you know this place exists, would you really just stay here?" John said quietly, tipped Rose's chin so that she'd look him in the eye. "You forget, Rose Tyler, I know _you._" He smiled.

"You know what I love about you?" he asked. Tears fell; John caught them on his thumb. "I know that Rose Tyler never gives up. Rose Tyler always finds a way. Daleks, dimensions, danger of all sorts, and she always comes back. I know,"

John wiped under his own eyes quickly, "I know you don't love me like him, but I know you _do_ love me. And I know I'll see you again," he smiled. "Rose Tyler, the girl who owns my heart."

"I can't!" Rose cried, "I can't just leave you!"

"You can." John said firmly, wrapped the vortex manipulator around her wrist, "Until then,"

John pushed a button.

Rose disappeared.


	3. Laperlla

**Title: **The Planet of Impossible Possibility

**Author:** sonicscrewed

**Character/Pairing:** Eleven/Rose eventually, this chapter has a touch of Alt!Ten/Rose

**Rating:** T (to be safe)

**Summary:** On a planet where the faces you see aren't necessarily the people you know, how do you know who is real?

**Disclaimer:** Not mine, BBC's. Oh well.

**Author's Notes: **~3k words. Not bad. No Eleven yet, I believe he'll be in the next chapter. Please review!

~~~~ Chapter 2: "Laperlla" ~~~~

The instant Rose landed– dizzy, sick to her stomach, mascara lines staining her face – a voice sounded over a speaker system of some sort, echoing through the stark, white walled room in which she'd landed.

"Welcome to Laperlla," it rang robotically, female in tone and overly pleasant, "Please wait patiently, and one of our associates will be there to assist you shortly,"

Rose scoffed. The whole thing sounded just like holding on the phone when the electric went out. She scrubbed at her cheeks, only half listening to the announcements, poking at the vortex manipulator around her wrist. It kept beeping angrily at her, the screen blinking 'system locked' furiously at her.

Rose let out a frustrated growl. "Oh, you'd better do something. Piece of. . .I'll take a hammer to you, I will."

The intercom voice went slightly more stern, but still remained its tone of cheer. "Please remember that there is a strict anti-violence policy here on Laperlla, and any hostile action will result in immediate ejection."

"Oh then eject me, will ya?" Rose shouted. "I don't want to be here anyway! Stupid brainy half-human know-it-all blokes with their martyr complexes. Dammit, John!"

"Please clear the doorway," The voice interrupted. "Associate nine-v-two-one-five will be with you momentarily."

Rose huffed, frantically pressed more buttons on the vortex manipulator, and ignored the sound of the door whooshing open and shut. Footsteps got closer, and still she continued. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't leave John alone, couldn't let him hurt himself just because he thought she'd be better off. It wasn't right. It wasn't. . .

"You're going to break that if you keep going."

Rose froze, heart thudding sickly fast in her chest.

That voice.

It wasn't possible, but. . .

She looked up hastily, and what she saw made her trip over her feet, fall soundly on her bum, and crabwalk backwards until she hit a wall.

Eyes wide, tears new, she shook her head slowly. "You. . .This isn't. . .you can't be,"

The man in front of her looked at her with no small amount of confusion and frowned. "Not every day I get recognized," he said, and then shrugged. "Oh well. Anything to declare? Weapons, intentions to vaporize the planet?"

Rose continued staring, "You," she choked out. "You don't know me."

"No," he answered, "Can't say that I do. Now, "

"You're the Doctor." Rose blurted out hoarsely.

The man stopped and stared.

Rose continued shakily, "You're. . . you look like my Doctor. . . when I first met him."

"And you look human with alien tech strapped to your arm," he said, vaguely interested, "So I take it you were a companion in your universe. Fantastic," he continued, "I'll need to take a look at that device, if you don't mind. Standard procedure."

Rose hiccupped and shakily rose to her feet, and the man continued. "I go by Nine here," he said, reaching for Rose's arm. She gave it without thought. "There's more than one Doctor on the planet right now, and the numbers keep us from confusing each other," he frowned and pulled out a sonic screwdriver, buzzing it about the device. "Three at the moment. One's absolutely mad and locked up until we figure out what to do with him. He's ginger, short, a variation of a tenth regeneration," he grumbled, changed a setting on his sonic, "The other's around here somewhere with his companion. That would be Ten," he smirked and the vortex manipulator beeped. "Interesting modifications, there."

Rose frowned. "What?"

"Telepathic translator, adaptable credit system, a bit or two to help you out of jams if you need it," he paused for a moment and frowned. "It's. . . sonic. Who built this? Your Doctor?"

"No." Rose sighed. "Um, no. John did, he's. . ."

"A human built this? In the twenty first century? That's hard to believe in any universe. Damn apes don't have the capacity to. . ."

"Ugh, stop it!" Rose shouted, aggravated. "You're just like . . . " she paused, laughed a bit to herself. He was just like, well, _him._ "Where did you come from, then? Why are you here?" she asked.

"I'll ask the questions. Answer mine." Nine said sternly. Rose rolled her eyes.

"Human Time Lord Metacrisis, John is. Regeneration after yours, he got his hand cut off during the cycle and our friend Jack hung on to it. Long story short, his companion Donna touched that hand, the metacrisis was born in battle, and my Doctor dropped him off with me on a parallel universe to 'make him better.' And then that metacrisis, call him John, went and sent me here three years later. "

"That's not everything, is it?"

"Course not! How much do you need to know, anyway?" Rose huffed. "Look, If I'm not a danger or whatever you're checking for, just let me in and let me do what I came here to do. Or answer my question, because I'm not tellin' ya anything else 'til you tell me what. . ."

"I punched in the wrong coordinates, alright?" Nine yelled, and Rose stepped back a bit. "Killed my people, timelocked the planet, got back to my TARDIS disoriented, and I hit the wrong button." He swallowed. "Meant to go to Earth and ended up here. Walked outside, and the TARDIS wouldn't let me back in. I'm trapped here."

Rose deflated, "I'm sorry. . ."

Nine looked away and walked towards the door. Punching a few buttons, the door hissed open.

"Wait!" Rose said, and Nine paused, "If there's other Doctors here, why can't you just use their TARDIS? Ya know, ask for help or,"

"Thought of that. Thing is," he turned around and leaned against the doorframe. "Their TARDIS' don't work either. As soon as they got here, she locked them out. All of them. We've never had a Doctor leave this planet. They can't. We don't know why."

"But. . ." Rose breathed out shakily, "But you said there were others. That there'd been others. What happened. . ."

"Dead." Nine said, and Rose's eyes went wide, horrified. "Time just isn't right on this planet, interferes with things like aging, with life, with death. You humans barely age physically. Because of that, you can't have children. Cells don't multiply or divide, grow or wither in normal time. Regeneration doesn't happen for the same reason. No one heals on their own – we have medical devices for fixing minor problems, an extreme sanitation policy upon entering, all to protect the people within from dying of a little cold."

Rose frowned. "When does that happen?"

Nine looked at her oddly. "Just said it happens when you get here. Already done. Just like you've already been scanned for anything infectious," he shrugged. "Record says you came in with a touch of the flu. Must be why they held you in stasis for so long."

"What do you mean, stasis? How long have I. . ."

Nine shrugged. "About four hundred years, your time."

Rose gasped, eyes wide, hand going to her mouth. "What?"

"You've been here longer than I have, actually. Just not conscious."

"But. . ." Rose wimpered, "That's not possible! I. . .I was crying when I left. My cheeks are still wet. How could they. . ."

Nine sighed, stood up straight. "It's not tears. It's condensation from the stasis lock. Your vortex manipulator was under a system lock when you woke up, right? Went into sleep mode to preserve itself – actually needs a charge, barely holding on as it is." Walking over to her and putting his hand on her shoulder, Nine looked her in the eye. "I have no reason to lie about this, and I'm not. This planet is about as mad as it is wonderful. There's a lot to learn and a lot to see." Face suddenly morphing into a grin, he clapped his hands together. "Now!" he said, "You mentioned a Donna, didn't you? She was a companion to your Doctor at some point?"

Rose startled, stepping back, looking at Nine quizzically. He kept right on grinning, fiddling with some sort of hand held electronic device that he had pulled out of his pocket. Motioning her to follow him, Rose stepped outside the door and made her way behind him through a long white hall, so long that eventually she lost sight of the door she had come from and temporarily didn't see the end of the path.

Slowly, the hall changed color, going from eggshell white to a warmer earthtone, and a door appeared at the end. Nine led her to it, and then turned to her.

"Prepare yourself," he said. "The place is downright odd. I've just sent a message to Donna to let her know there was a human incoming. No idea how similar she is to your Donna, but a familiar face should make things a little easier for you, I should think." He shrugged. "I have to get going, there's an incoming visitor the next bay over and he's giving us a bit of trouble. . ."

Nine turned to open the door, and Rose grabbed his arm. "Wait. Just. . .Donna's a common name," she said. "I didn't give you a last. How do you know she's the one I. . ."

Nine winked. "Cause she came here with her own Doctor. And one of the few things that have remained constant about the Doctors who come in here have been the companions. Never been a you, oddly enough, but we've had quite a few Donna's, Martha's, Sara-Jane's, Susan's. They always look the same and their personalities are similar. From what I've worked out with Ten," he murmured, "The Doctors that come through to Laprella are mostly pulled out of similar time lines in similar universes, just at different points. . ."

"Wait, so none of them come willingly? They just get here by some accident?"

Nine frowned and stared at Rose, mouth hanging slightly ajar.

"I think I just realized what your Doctor liked about you," he said, seemed like he was going to say something else. His device beeped angrily. "I'll get back to you on that. For now though," Nine pushed a series of buttons on the side of the door and it opened.

Rose stepped through and stared. It was similar to a marketplace, signs everywhere pointing to attractions that the planet offered, cobblestone streets, vendors, and creatures everywhere – humanoid, cactus faced looking, dogs with no noses, crazy amounts of varieties of species just strolling around, laughing, having a good time.

She turned to her left and gasped, "Is that. . ."

Nine smirked at her, "Yup."

"That's a Dalek." Rose said, stunned.

"It is."

"He's _watering flowers._"

"Name's Danny. He's alright, just don't bother his garden and he won't bother you." Nine said, "Also, I really have to get going. Donna just sent me a message. Walk straight up this street and she'll be at the little café on your right."

"But!" Rose started, but Nine just shrugged, smirked, and faded away – some sort of teleportation device, she assumed.

The walk wasn't as interesting as she'd hoped. For all the hype, the planet seemed to be the standard resort. Trinkets being peddled to passersby, someone handing out flyers for a day spa, little boutiques, and finally, the café she'd been directed to –

She stopped in her tracks. Donna Noble. Definitely her in some way, the ginger hair, the way she was flailing about – her voice carrying down the walk, snarky as all get out. The person she was talking to though, oh, that was another kick in the gut. Swifter, more painful, and on the whole, intensely exciting.

Pinstriped suit, great brown hair, and a pair of chucks. . .

It hit her with more intensity than it probably should have – _this could be him._

He'd been traveling with Donna when he'd left her on the beach with John, Nine said that somehow Doctors were being pulled in at random points . . .

Oh but that was too easy, wasn't it? When was anything she'd ever done involving the Doctor easy?

Though Donna had just stopped mid gesture, and her eyes had gotten quite large.

Donna had seen her, no doubt about it. Of course the Doctor in front of her, Ten probably, had noticed Donna's look at the same time Rose had, and was getting up from his chair.

He turned towards Rose, initially looking confused. The confusion melted off his face, changed to shock, to pain, to elation, and back to confusion. Rose watched his Adam's apple work and his limbs go rigid, watched his lips part without sound escaping, watched his hand twitch as if considering reaching out.

This Doctor definitely recognized her. But he didn't move towards her, almost as if he couldn't. Rose could understand that – the uncertainty weighing in with the hope. The hope weighing in with the fear of disappointment.

It was Donna who broke the moment, rushing past the Doctor and up to Rose.

Rose fought the urge to step back under Donna's glare.

"You're that girl," she said. "You're that girl from the parallel universe! The one that told me to tell him Bad Wolf!" Donna accused.

Rose's eyes went huge.

No. No no no.

It couldn't be.

"It was everywhere when we went outside that fortune teller's tent! Everywhere!" Donna ranted. "And then we went back inside the TARDIS and wound up _here!_ For the last hundred years, we've been stuck _here,"_ she shouted. "It was you, wasn't it! You did this somehow!"

"Donna."

"How'd you do it, blondie? How'd you. . ."

"_Donna!_" the Doctor shouted.

Donna spun on her heel, "Oi! Don't _Donna_ me," she huffed. "You were just standing there doing nothing, and Oh! I'm going to give Nine _such_ a smack when I see him. Random human, right. . ."

Rose stared at the interaction, trying to choke back the sick she felt boiling in her stomach.

'Doctors from similar timelines,' Nine had said.

John had warned her, too. 'Alternate Doctors. Be careful,' he'd said.

But from what Donna had just told her, just screamed at her, this Doctor had gone through very close to the same timeline as Rose had with her own Doctor. The dimension cannon, the trip to find him when the stars were going out, meeting Donna and sending her back with that message.

And oh, he was staring at her again.

Donna threw her arms up, plopped back down at the little table, and tucked herself back in to her tea and scone.

And the Doctor was still staring, looking lost. He didn't seem to know what to do with himself.

Probably, Rose mused, he was going through some of the same thoughts that _she_ was. He was _a_ Doctor, if not _her_ Doctor. He knew how these things worked. Better than she did, really.

And oh, even though it wasn't her Doctor. . .

He couldn't be her Doctor, she knew. Their timelines didn't match. . .

But this Doctor had gone through so many of the same things, it seemed.

And he'd been ripped away from his universe _right before_ Rose had come back into his life. Had been stuck on this planet for. . . What did Donna say? A hundred years? A hundred years stuck after being teased with the prospect of Rose coming back?

Rose shook her head finally, and sighed.

"Hello," she said.

Her voice cracked slightly, "It's been a while for you, yeah?"

He didn't reply for a moment, just stood there looking at her. Like he was trying to reconcile what he was seeing with what was actually in front of him.

"You're not _my_ Rose, are you." he finally choked out, more of a statement than a question.

Rose's heart positively ached. She shook her head.

"No. No, I don't think so," she replied, and Ten – this must be who Nine was calling Ten – Ten shoved his hands in his pockets, pursed his lips together, and looked down at the ground.

"Hey." Rose said.

He didn't respond.

She stepped a little closer, bent down a bit to look up at his downcast face, "Wanna hug, anyway?"

She smiled at him, just slightly. Just long enough to watch his lips curve upwards, just long enough to see that familiar sparkle return to his eyes – just a hint, just a glimmer, just a spark.

Just a little more, and Ten wrapped his arms around Rose and squeezed. He lifted up a bit, spun her around, and placed her back down gently.

"Thanks," he said, looking at her warmly. "Really, thank you."

"No thanks needed. My pleasure." Rose grinned, "Though, if you could show me 'round a bit. . . I'll tell you my story, you tell me yours. . ."

Ten stuck his elbow out as Rose trailed off, and Rose slipped her arm around his, laughing.

She knew she was in trouble then – from just this brief meeting, she knew – this one was close, too close to her Doctor.

He wasn't him.

She knew it.

This one hadn't fought Davros that last time, hadn't had all his old companions gather 'round to help him out. Hadn't been shot by a Dalek in his mad rush to hold her again.

He hadn't healed himself off of his own hand. He hadn't watched as his metacrisis had committed genocide.

He hadn't been the one to drop her back on dårlig ulv stranden and then fly away. . .

"Well then," Ten said, grinning widely, "Allons-y, Rose Tyler!"

'Oh,' Rose thought, trying and failing utterly to stop the way her heart picked up pace, the way her face tinged pink. . .

'I am in so much trouble. . .'

Ten paused for a moment, and Rose stopped with him. He looked back at the café, and Donna rolled her eyes.

"Just go," she said. "Don't worry about me. Nine's going to be over in a few, and this scone should be hard 'nough to teach him a thing or two 'bout not giving someone proper warning." Donna grinned. "I got your back, spaceman."

"Don't forget to remind him about that meeting tonight." Ten shouted back to her.

Donna shook her head. "Right, like anyone could forget you," she smirked. "Brains of the operation, you are. Go, have fun. I've got this."


	4. Meetings

**A.N. This is a little rushed, and I'm not completely happy with it, but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. Please review!**

~~Chapter 3 Meetings~~

He was doing it again. Staring.

For the past few weeks, Rose had been noticing more and more – That damned maintenance man.

He was everywhere. Going to get chips, he was fixing the fryer. She'd be talking to Nine on the street, and he'd be up on the lamp post.

Yesterday in the market, she'd let out a shriek of surprise when Ten had snuck up behind her and grabbed her by the middle.

She'd looked up, ready to give Ten a piece of her mind, maybe flirt a bit – maybe smack him.

But then, there he was. That man, his mop tipped over, his hand in the inner pocket of his jacket. . .

Wide eyed fear in great green eyes. Like a startled animal – like he'd mistaken the shriek for danger.

She'd only seen those eyes for a flash, he'd looked down and away the second she'd noticed him. Then he was retrieving his mop and grabbing his bucket, leaving so swiftly Rose wasn't even sure if he'd actually been there a moment ago.

Rose shook her head, trying to clear it. Perhaps she was being paranoid. Maybe it was just stress.

She'd been conscious on Laperlla for two months now, and the waiting around for something to happen was driving her stir crazy.

Though that didn't change the fact that she was being stared at. Again.

It just seemed more odd than usual this time – that this man would even be here – in the room where Nine and Ten were having another one of their little meetings.

Odd that these two would allow a maintenance man to be lurking around outside the cell of a mad incarnation of themselves while discussing their ideas for getting off this planet and back to their lives. Strange that Nine and Ten would just let some man tinker with a computer panel while they were discussing all of the possible conspiracy theories they had as to what was going on with the planet.

It was irritating as well, seeing as this was the first one of these little gatherings the two had allowed her to sit in on. Both Nine and Ten always had some sort of reason to exclude her from coming and sitting in on these meetings, but Rose had finally put her foot down. Obviously they weren't making any progress, they'd been trying to figure things out for so long. They needed a new set of eyes, a different perspective, and she had _told_ Ten that.

He'd remained stubborn about it, up 'til today.

There were too many secrets, too many things she didn't understand. Ten had been so _quiet_ in the last few weeks. Nine had grown steadily more moody, easier to agitate, even when asked the simplest of questions.

It had all started when that maintenance man had started showing up everywhere.

Rose looked towards him with a peripheral squint. He was at the panel, looked like he was about to press something on the keypad, but he didn't. He just stood there, eyes directed at the Doctors, obviously listening in to their conversation.

A clang rang out, and Rose startled out of her thoughts.

Nine and Ten, who'd previously been bickering amongst themselves, both stopped and looked warily towards the enclosure next to them. A tin cup rolled to the front, a sudden rustling of fabric sounded, and then there were hands on the bars of the too dark cell.

Nine smiled. "Finally awake, are you?"

The prisoner growled, "Get out," he said darkly, "We're doomed to die here, this is all _pointless_, so just shut up, leave me alone, _let me be!_"

Nine reached through the bars, grabbed one of the man's cheeks and squeezed, "Oh Maddoc, overdramatic as always," he exclaimed with feigned affection. His arm was forcefully pushed away, "Oi, that's not nice."

"You _twat,_" Maddoc yelled indignantly, "I should've destroyed you years ago. The moment I saw you, smiling like an _idiot_, with _my old face_! I should've. . ."

"Not stood there staring stupidly?" Nine said with a grin, "Not lost your head and starting banging at the walls?"

Nine's voice and face suddenly lost all humor as he grabbed Maddoc by the collar and pulled him so that his cheek was pressed up against the bars, "How about," he hissed, "How about not going completely out of your _mind_ and cutting the life support to _two thirds_ of the planet? How about not deleting _every_ _single_ _file_ from the mainframe's data center?"

"Nine!" Ten shouted.

Nine gave Maddoc one last hard look and shoved him away, "I still don't see why we involve him in these meetings. Never helps anything," he grumbled.

"Why?" Rose questioned, walking towards the bars, standing next to Nine. She leaned forward and peered inside the cell.

Ten came up beside her, firmly grasping her arm and pulling her back again, "Don't get too close."

Rose looked to Ten and then back to Maddoc, licking her lips nervously. "Why?" she repeated. So many questions. How could someone with her doctor's face become this? Someone who would do something like. . .

Maddoc burst out laughing. "Why? Oh that's rich. What world do you come from, sweetheart? One of _theirs_?"

Rose shook her head, stepping back a bit at the crazed look in Maddoc's eyes, bumping into Ten's side. Ten lifted a hand to her shoulder, and she stilled.

"Doesn't always work out so well." Maddoc said with a sneer, "I fouled up the timelock. Had my people chasing me through all of time and space," he smirked, "They caught me once, and I regenerated. I got away, only to land here. Popped out of my TARDIS and I see my own old face staring back at me. So I figure it's one of _them_. And so I figure I can take them down. Take my screwdriver, shove it in the nearest control panel, blow it all up," Maddoc sighed. "Bastard pulled me off the panel before I could finish the job."

Rose frowned, "You actually don't even regret it. Even though you made a mistake? An innocent planet, with innocent people. . . and you. . ."

"Innocent?" Maddoc asked incredulously, "Innocent. Really. Someone created all of this," he said, "This _resort_. This place where people come for _vacation_. Where they come to meet their alternate selves." he narrowed his eyes, pressed his face up against the bars. "But what about the people who get dragged here? The people who didn't ask for this _vacation_. Who just appear on the planet to fulfill the wishes of the paying customer?"

Rose's eyes widened. "_What?_" she breathed out, "What are you sayin'"

"I'm here because someone wished me to be here." Maddoc said. "And I'm guessing it's one of the people who want me _dead._"

"You're wrong."

The voice came from behind all of them, and Rose's heart sank.

The maintenance man, the one she'd been suspicious of. He'd been here the whole time. She should've said something, anything. Should've trusted her gut. This couldn't be good, this couldn't. . .

"Rose," he said, and Rose nearly jumped out of her skin. How did he know her _name_? How did he. . .no.

No.

She'd stared Daleks in the eyestalk, she wasn't going to let some _stalker_ scare her. She clenched her fists at her side, steeled her gaze, and shrugged Ten's grip from her shoulder.

And then she stalked up to the maintenance man and slapped him.

His eyes were wide as he put a hand to his cheek, "Ow!"

"Who _are _you?" she yelled, glared. "You just. . . you follow me 'round, what? Just to spook me? Does it give you some kinda thrill? And now you know my _name_? What kinda. . ."

"Rose, calm down." Nine said.

"Rose, you don't understand. . ." Ten muttered.

"Aw," Maddoc cooed, shaking his head, "You idiots," he chuckled.

"Did you two not tell her he was a Doctor?"

Rose went pale.

Eyes wide, her arm dropped to her side, hand still stinging. He was a. . .

_What?_

The 'maintinence man' threw his hands up and stalked up to the cell, "Good, very good. Ruin the surprise. You're a schoolyard snitch, Maddoc, ruining the fun when no one wants to play with you."

"Don't presume to know me, Doctor. . .you've not been here long."

"Long enough. I've been here, I've asked the important questions, eavesdropped on the right conversations, put the puzzle pieces together." he said breezily, "And you're wrong, Maddoc. You're not here because someone wants you dead. Someone wants you _alive_." He paused, spun on his heel, pointed at Nine and Ten. "Or, not specifically Maddoc – no, not Snitchy Mc Ginger at all, really – but maybe you, Nine. Or even closer, maybe. . ." he walked back up to Rose.

She shook her head.

No.

"Or maybe," he said in a whisper, scanning her face, eyes darting back and forth, "Maybe they came here looking for someone who's more like Ten," he smiled sadly, "Maybe they came here just wanting to find the Doctor."

No.

"How long have you been here, Rose?" he asked gently, "Longer than all of them, right?"

Rose frowned, eyes going to all of the faces in the room, seeing the disappointment on Ten's, the sadness on Nine's, the rage on Maddoc's.

No.

"I. . . I was in stasis though. I haven't even been awake for. . ."

"The planet is sentient." Nine deadpanned. "Slightly psychic. It reads for intent the instant you get here, conscious or not."

"You," Rose began, tears welling, "You've all been trapped here. . . all this time. . ." she swallowed hard. "You're all stuck here because of me."

A crash and the shattering of glass sounded behind them. Rose spun around.

Donna. It was Donna. Shocked, livid, human Donna - surrounded by shards of broken china – the remnants of teacups, all around her feet.

Rose stepped away instinctively, backed up just a bit. Just enough for Maddoc to reach through the bars and grab Rose by the back of the shirt. He pulled her against those bars, wrapped an arm around her neck. Grinning smugly, he displayed a saucer in his free hand.

A broken saucer. A broken, jagged, sharp sliver of a saucer.

And he held it to Rose's throat.


	5. Confrontations and Revelations

Maddoc's grip tightened and Rose choked out hoarsely, her hands going reflexively to Maddoc's arm and tugging. The sharp press of china against her neck quickly stopped her struggling. She froze.

"You," Maddoc said, pointing to Eleven, "New guy. Open the cell."

Nine folded his arms across his chest. Ten glared, clenching his fists.

Eleven pointed to himself. "Me?" he asked incredulously. "Me." He smirked. "Now why do you think I'd do that?"

Maddoc laughed. "Because I'll kill her if you don't." he deadpanned.

Eleven shrugged, clapped his hands together and leaned forward to stare Maddoc in the eye.

"Do it, then."

Nine and Ten turned to Eleven in shock.

Donna tried to pull Ten's arm to still him, but failed. Ten stumbled slightly, growling. "Are you _insane?_"

Eleven smiled. "You know I am," he turned back to Maddoc. "Calling your bluff though, aren't I Maddoc? Because if she dies before that cell is unlocked, you'll never see the outside of it. So," he spun on his heel, "I'm curious Maddoc. Why me? Why should I be the one to let you out?"

Maddoc rolled his eyes, "Nine's physically stronger," he scoffed. "I wouldn't get past him if we came to blows." He nodded towards Ten, "That one's in love with her. Disgusting, but it makes him more dangerous than Nine. You," he sneered, "Are fresh meat. New. And you look like a goddamned librarian. Basically," Maddoc smirked, "If you tried to pull something, I could take you down – but I don't think you care enough to try."

"Ah," Eleven said, "Fair enough," he shrugged, put a hand in his pocket, pulled out his screwdriver and rolled it in his fingers. "So, when I open this door, how exactly do you plan to get past those two?"

Maddoc grinned manically, "Never said I was going to let the girl go."

Abruptly, Eleven stopped twirling his screwdriver. "Just going to keep her hostage, then. Then what?"

"If those two play nice? Maybe I'll throw her at them once I get out the door." Maddoc grit his teeth, "But all these damn questions are making me lean more towards slitting her pretty throat first."

"Right," Eleven said, pointing his screwdriver at the lock, "Well then," he sighed and looked to Rose.

Rose glared at him, and Eleven briefly flicked his gaze to her wrist. He met her eyes once more, and she blinked in surprise – realization.

Looking back at Maddoc, Eleven smiled and activated his screwdriver.

An ear-piercing shrill squeal echoed throughout the room, and the shard of china against Rose's neck shattered. Maddoc's eyes went wide, and in that instant his grip on Rose loosened – just enough for her to duck out of his grasp and hit a button on the vortex manipulator around her wrist.

It only transported her a few feet, but that was enough. Ten rushed to her side, looked to her with a nod, and grabbed hold of her hand.

Across the room, the shock on Maddoc's face was almost comical. Infuriated, Eleven grabbed him by the shirt and pressed him against the bars.

"You _really_ screwed up, Maddoc." Eleven said coldly.

"That's impossible," Maddoc gasped out, "Vortex manipulators don't work in here or I would've. . ."

"I was playing with the room's circuitry earlier." Eleven explained flatly. "You saw that. Actually, no. No, you weren't paying attention. Rose saw it. You were too busy grousing." His eyes narrowed. "Still, there were far worse mistakes you made," he said with deadly sincerity, all compassion gone.

He pulled out a compact laser.

"How the hell?" Nine yelled out, "You can't have that here!" he looked to Ten, whose jaw was slightly ajar.

"I didn't check him for weapons." He groaned, "Thick." He muttered, throwing his hands in the air, "Oh, I'm thick. . ."

Eleven ignored them, eyes fixed on Maddoc. "Mistake number one. . ." he shouted superiorly.

Maddoc frantically struggled and ripped himself out of Eleven's grasp, the fabric of his shirt tearing. He staggered backwards and tripped over himself, fell to the concrete floor and slammed his head against the far brick wall.

His eyes never left the weapon aimed directly at him.

"You never should have underestimated me," Eleven said coolly, "You were worried about those two?" he smirked, gestering vaguely to Nine and Ten.

"I've been them. Ten?" he chuckled mirthlessly, "I've been him _twice_. . ."

Behind Eleven, Rose gasped and shook her head. "Doctor. . ." she whispered, the full realization of what he intended to do striking her speechless in her shock. "Doctor, don't. . ."

Eleven's hand tightened on the laser. "Rose Tyler," he bellowed. "I lost her once. And then once, I left her – let her go for her own good. But I'll be damned if I let her out of my life a third time," he growled, shaking the fist holding the laser, "And _you_. . . You were going to _kill her_!"

"There are things you never do, Maddoc." Eleven seethed. "If you want my mercy, if you want a tomorrow, there are things you never _ever_ do. And at the _top _of the list of things you never, ever do. . ."

"You _never_ hurt Rose Tyler. You never _threaten_ Rose Tyler. Because if it's the one thing, the one promise that I will always keep – I will _always_ keep her safe."

Sliding his finger over the trigger, Eleven swallowed hard. "I will do _anything_."

"Doctor, _stop_!" Rose shrieked and let go of Ten's hand, rushing to the Doctor's side.

Eleven had gone rigid, shoulders tense, and Rose cautiously put a hand to his upper arm. When he didn't look to her, she squeezed gently.

"You don't have to do this, Doctor," she whispered. "It's over. I'm fine."

Green eyes shifted to her, and Rose's breath hitched. "Oh Doctor," she murmured. "Don't. . . You're better than this."

"And how do you know that?" Eleven asked softly. His demeanor relaxed and the laser lowered slightly. "I could be any Doctor from a million different universes. How could you possibly know for sure that I wouldn't. . ."

"You won't." Rose said firmly, lowering his arm for him, scanning his eyes with hers. "You're not just any Doctor." She whispered. "You're _mine._"

The laser clattered to the floor.

Nine rushed over to scoop it up, making quick work of destroying the circuitry with his screwdriver, and then turned back to Eleven and Rose.

They were staring at each other.

Nine rolled his eyes, "Hug, snog, do something – but we need to get out of here. Automatic lockdown is in ten minutes."

"No one wants to see you two go at it." Donna said, unsubtly gesturing to Ten.

Ten stopped uncomfortably running his fingers through his hair to shoot Donna a dirty look.

"You'd think, being human, you'd have a little more tact, Don – Oh!" Ten complained, only to be interrupted by an armful of Rose Tyler. "He-Hello." He said.

Rose smiled up at him softly, "If your Rose is anything like me, and I'm pretty sure she is – she'll find you."

Ten's eyes went wide, returning the hug reflexively.

"We just need to get you home, an. . ."

"Thank you." Ten interrupted.

Nine rolled his eyes. "Let's go," he said, exasperated.

Rose smirked mischievously and let go of Ten, then turned around and launched herself at Nine, squeezing tight.

"O-Oi! What –"

"Shut up and enjoy it." Rose said, leaning back and grinning at surprised blue eyes.

Nine slowly moved to hug her back, and Rose leaned on his shoulder. She sighed. "I probably needed that as much as you did," she smiled sadly, and Nine swallowed. Nodded.

Clearing his throat, he dropped his arms out of the embrace. "Still," he said, "Best be off."

Rose nodded, looking back to Eleven.

He smirked. "Everyone gets a hug but me," he said. "Somehow seems unfair."

Shaking her head, Rose smiled sadly. "I have to let those faces go," she said. "I promised you forever. We've got plenty of – "

Eleven shook his head and Rose paused. He walked up to her, stood in front of her, and Rose frowned, confused.

"That kind of thinking – that kind of holding back has left me nothing but regret." He said softly, putting a hand to Rose's waist and the other to brush hair out of her eyes. He cupped her cheek and leaned forward, sincerity and urgency singing in his gaze. "All this time." He whispered, "Two regenerations, and I've held back. Because I knew I'd lose you. And then I did."

"Spent so much time, missing you miserably – and then you come back. So I send you off again. And this time I'm sure it's forever, that you're never to be seen again. I've left you safe. Happy. Given you what you wanted in the best way that I could.

"And I think that I can get over it. Instead, it's the thing that finally drives me mad. Timelord Victorious. I do whatever I want because no one tells me no. And that kills me. Literally."

"My Tenth regeneration loved too much – loved too strongly. And that was the death of him."

"And now?" Rose whispered.

"Three hundred years. A family, come and gone. A wife, gone and here and gone again. And now, here and now, Rose Tyler in my arms – like no time has passed at all."

The Doctor didn't kiss Rose, he melted into her, leaned in as if she was her own force of gravity – her own little universe – his whole universe. A pull that could not be denied. Lips so close to meeting lips, ice so close to meeting fire – behind them, someone was yelling – but it didn't matter. This was an eternity in waiting, finally arrived and . . .

"OI! Morons!" Nine shouted, and Rose and Eleven sprung apart. "You've figured it out. Fantastic!" he growled. "Maddoc's escape attempt was part of a bigger plan. We need to go, _now._" Nine grabbed Eleven's arm and Rose's hand.

"RUN."


End file.
